Choosing the Right Method Book for Teaching String Students : Teach & Coach : How to : All Things Strings

7/25/2019 Choosing the Right Method Book for Teaching String Students : Teach & Coach : How to : All Things Strings

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Choosing the Right Method Book for Teaching

String StudentsWith so many options out in the market, which string method book is best?

By Setareh Beheshtiposted March 2009

OneSize Does Not Fit All

THE PAST FEW YEARShave seen a renaissance of new method books for the beginning

violinist (and other members of the string family). Before this deluge, a teacher seemingly had an

easier time setting up a curriculum with the few books at hand, all of which had passed the test of

time and received the approval of renowned pedagogues.

Such dependable series as Harvey Whistler's Introduction to Positions; Paul Herfurth'sA Tune a
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Day; Shinichi Suzuki's Suzuki Violin School; Mathieu Crickboom's Le Violon; and books like

Franz Wohlfahrt's Easiest Beginning Elementary Method, Op. 38and Op. 45, and 60 Etudes,

were irreplaceable tools for preparing young students. These books helped pave the way for

such advanced violin-method books as the Hrimaly Scale Studies; Carl FleschScale System

series; Schradieck Scale Studies; School of Violin Technics, Books I and II;Sevcik School of

Technic series, Op. 1, 2, 7, 9; Kayser's Elementary and Progressive Studies; Kreutzer's 42

Studies; and other prerequisite conservatory studies.

Due to the limited number of method books for beginners at the time, in the past a teacher could

quickly evaluate whether a student was ready to move up to the pre-conservatory books or

needed to stay with simple tunes and school-orchestra pieces

These days, when paging through sheet-music catalogs, a string teacher can be overwhelmed

by the number of choices. The flashy covers, pictures, and accompanying CDs seem to

obfuscate the teaching philosophy behind each book.

So how does a teacher establish a studio syllabus?

In most cases, a teacher begins by using the same method books that she used as a student,

from beginner's books through advanced levels. Keeping this in mind, you can follow the trend of

favored publications from region to region and generation to generation. But you might ask,

"Does myexperience as a student meet the needs of today'sstudent?"

Today's teaching approach and the wider selection of books should inspire a new generation of

students, even those with possibly diminished attention span and a heavy load of after-school

activities. String teachers must stay current with the new method books entering the market. So

how do you accomplish this seemingly daunting task?

WHERE TO BEGIN

The first step is to evaluate the many methods and teaching philosophies available. But this will

take some time and expense. You can simplify this task by creating your own string-method

library, so you can make use of both established and new publications suited to the teachingpriorities for each of your students. Keep an eye out for new publications that can fit into the

classification system you set up for your method-book library.

Take the time to assess each of these method booksold and newso that you are

knowledgeable about new trends in pedagogy while appreciating the established methods. Begin

by evaluating advanced method books and then work backward to the beginner books. This will

allow you to keep the end result in mind and to find the appropriate steps leading up to

intermediate and advanced lessons. For example, if Hans Sitt's Studies in Positions, Op. 32, is a

popular etude book in your pre-college curriculum, then find an appropriate prequel for your

younger students, such as Kathyrn Kinnard's Easy Songs for Shifting in Positions One through

Five.


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In most universities and conservatories, the freshmen must undergo a serious scale regimen.

With this in mind, find a progression of scale books that lead up to the Carl Flesch or Ivan

Galamian scale books to better prepare the aspiring music major. There are many colorful scale

books these days that invite young students to practice scales and basic technique. These

include Kathy and David Blackwell's Fiddle-Time Scales, Books I and II. Slightly older beginners

might appreciate Mary Cohen's Scaley Monsters. Preteen beginners are best matched with

Hrimaly's Scale Studies.

Teachers should encourage good habits from the beginning as well as keep long-term goals in

mind for the education of each student. Thus, it's important to note the skill range of each book

as well as the appropriate age range. Some method-book series may include multiple volumes

with progressively harder skill levels, but youthful packaging that includes colorful pictures and

cheerful titles may not be appreciated by an older beginning student. The student's age and the

method book's intended marketing target are important to keep in mind. Remember that the

appropriately matched method-book series can help encourage a child's growth and build herlove for the instrument.

LEARNING STYLES

A teacher's recognition of a student's ability to gather and retain information also can make a

lesson a joyful experience rather than an agonizing ordeal. Understanding the various learning

types can help in the selection of the best beginner method book for the task. There are three

general types of learning styles: visual, auditory, and tactile (also known as kinesthetic). Every

student falls into a combination of these three categories with a tendency toward one of them

(see sidebar, "Learn to Match Method Books to Appropriate Learning Types.")

The visual learner gains and retains information after seeing it. This type of student tends to

memorize in the picture format, so when they recite or play something from memory, these

students recall where they are on the page. These students can become good sight-readers.

The auditory learner gains and retains information by listening. Written material is not useful for

this type of student unless it is recited to them. These students tend to have a beautiful tone dueto their sensitivity to sound and sonority. They're also prone to becoming sloppy note-readers

unless they hear an exact recording of what they are seeing on the page.

Tactile (or kinesthetic) learners retain information through repetition of a physical activity. They

don't seem to mind a cyclic routine of short exercises.

For the purpose of a music lesson, and more importantly the evaluation of method books, you

can classify both student and method book into one of these categories and then match them.

This approach can then serve as a resource when you create an individualized syllabus for each

student and it can help alleviate obstacles that can occur during a lesson.

LEARN TO RECOGNIZE A STUDENT'S LEARNING STYLE


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The Visual LearnerBeginner's books that include accurate pictures and take a visual approach

are geared toward visual learners. Usually, these books don't include an accompanying CD.

Rather, they include somewhat lengthy explanations for each new technique. Every new

technique is followed by a moderate number of pieces that the student must learn before moving

to the next topic. Once the visual learner studies a topic, there usually is no need to go back and

review. So method books that have musical examples that are variations of a technique can help

these types of learners reach the same level as students who review their music lessonrepeatedly. Examples of method books that fall under this category are Mathieu Crickboom's Le

Violonseries; Paul Herfurth'sA Tune a Day(the earlier version without the accompanying CD);

Mary Cohen's Scaley Monsters; Shirley Givens'Adventures in Violinlandseries; and Janice

Rhoda'sABC's of Violin for the Absolute Beginner. The Auditory Learner Method books aimed

at the auditory learner include an accompanying cassette tape or CD. These companion sets

usually offer little written explanation. For the auditory learner, the progression of new techniques

is relatively quick, because most can memorize a piece and then perform it repetitively. One

caveat: it's important to review the accuracy of the CD's recorded lesson before assigning this

type of book, since students will copy exactly what they hear. Examples of books for the auditory

learner include Shinichi Suzuki's Suzuki Violin Schoolseries; Dinie Goodhart's Violin Fun; Kathy

and David Blackwell's Fiddle Timeseries and scale books; and the new version of Paul

Herfurth'sA Tune a Day(with accompanying CD). The Tactile LearnerBeginner's books geared

towards the tactile, or kinesthetic, learner are easily identifiable: these books don't have a CD;

the pieces are short and similar to etudes or exercises; and each music lesson has a specific

goal in mind. These books are teacher dependent, meaning that each lesson must be explained

in order for the student to grasp the specific movement being taught. The rate of progression is

slow due to the short and repetitive pieces, but upon completing a tactile-oriented book a student

has a more solid foundation in advanced technique than the other learning types. Examples of

books that meet these criteria are Sally O'Reilly's Fiddle Magic and Fiddle Rhythms; and Kathyrn

Kinnard's Easy Songs for Shifting in Positions One through Five.

More must read articles

4 Ways to Level the Playing Field in the String Classroom

Cello teacher shares how to cater to aural, visual, and kinesthetic learners in a group

setting

A Foundation Built on Positive Reinforcement

Private lessons: When students have the discipline and interest to succeed, the right tools

and a positive approach can bring out their best

Passion, Mutual Respect & A No-Fail Environment
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The conservatory approach: Students excel when honored and given the confidence to

succeed

A Question Of Order & Method

60 years after Shinichi Suzuki developed his violin method, controversy as to its place in

string education abounds
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Choosing the Right Method Book for Teaching String Students : Teach & Coach : How to : All Things Strings